Comfort Food on a Cold Day - Vegetarian Toad In The Hole

Today its been the coldest day of the year so far and we're heading for a cold night too.  I think a hot water bottle will be called for tonight and my big winter parka coat with the (fake) fur-lined hood (which I never got to wear last year because it didn't get cold enough) will be dragged out of storage for wearing out tomorrow.

But this evening it was time for some winter comfort food in the form of my vegetarian Toad In The Hole.  

Vegetarian Toad In The Hole

Ingredients:

(serves 4)

65g plain flour

100ml skimmed milk or soya milk

1 medium egg

1 teaspoon of rosemary

1 teaspoon of thyme

half a level teaspoon of salt

half a teaspoon of ground black pepper

4 vegetarian sausages

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C (or 180 C for a fan oven)
• Sieve flour into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the middle - pour the milk into this.
• Add the eggs, herbs, salt and pepper and whisk, starting at the liquid centre and gradually incorporating the flour from the sides until there are no lumps.  Set to one side at room temperature whilst you prepare the sausages.
• Prick the sausages (if they are in a "skin") and lightly coat in olive oil.  Place in a medium sized cooking dish and put in the oven for 15 minutes to brown.
• Then remove from the oven to pour the batter into the dish and return to the oven for 30 - 35 minutes or until the batter is golden brown.

Great served with some fresh vegetables and onion gravy (lower calorie version) or a small jacket potato and baked beans (extra comfort version!)